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Update: Wood-Ridge Boy, 17, Charged As Wrong-Way Mercedes Driver Who Side-Swiped Police Cruiser

A 17-year-old Wood-Ridge boy was behind the wheel of a speeding sedan that side-swiped a borough police cruiser and kept going, authorities said Saturday.

Wood-Ridge police

Wood-Ridge police

Photo Credit: Rebecca Abma

The boy came to police headquarters accompanied by his mother Friday night after learning that authorities had identified him through surveillance video and interviews, Detective Sgt. Matt Mueller said.

He was receiving several summons stemming from Thursday's incident as detectives considered possible eluding charges. 

The teen said in an email to Daily Voice that he was the driver and that he "did nothing near speeding off...I went into a parking lot expecting the cop to be there."

If that were true, Mueller said, he would have dialed 911 or otherwise notified police.

Mueller said the officer was headed south on 4th Street/Valley Boulevard when a northbound Mercedes E-350 raced through the Union Avenue intersection in an attempt to overtake a pickup truck on Thursday.

The sedan -- owned by the boy's father -- was headed straight toward the officer's car before it suddenly swerved, scraping the side of the cruiser, before speeding away, the sergeant said.

The officer turned around and tried to pursue the vehicle, but the driver had sped off, turned down a side street and pulled into a parking lot as the officer raced by, Mueller said.

Three occupants bailed out and fled, he said, adding that the teen eventually drove off toward Carlstadt.

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